On 25 June, UIC Barcelona’s Institute for Culture and Thought (CIP) held its third Interdisciplinary Thought Seminar of the 2025-2026 academic year under the title “What are the limits of thought?”. The event brought together members of the University community to explore one of the central questions in philosophy and contemporary knowledge from an interdisciplinary standpoint.

The session included Dr Enric Fernández Gel, holder of a PhD in Philosophy, and Dr Gabriel Fernández Borsot, holder of a PhD in Transformative Studies, and concluded with a dialogue moderated by Dr Rosalía Rodríguez, full professor of Biomedical Sciences at UIC Barcelona and director of the Department of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr Gabriel Fernández Borsot approached the topic from the perspective of physics, psychology and science, raising the question as to the extent to which scientific knowledge can explain the world and its limits when faced with phenomena that still defy our understanding. His remarks highlighted the need to build bridges between disciplines to address the major intellectual challenges of our time.

Dr Enric Fernández Gel then explored the limits of thought from a philosophical perspective, urging attendees to reflect on humanity’s capacity to understand reality and posing questions that remain unanswered within the field of knowledge. His address framed thought as a human activity that not only seeks answers but is also capable of generating new questions and expanding the horizons of understanding in ways that other forms of intelligence, such as artificial intelligence, cannot.

The seminar concluded with a dialogue moderated by Dr Rosalía Rodríguez, fostering the exchange of ideas between the speakers and the audience. The discussion highlighted the importance of complementary perspectives and continuous dialogue between the humanities and the sciences in addressing questions such as the limits of thought.

A well-established forum for dialogue and critical thinking

With this third seminar, the Institute for Culture and Thought (CIP) brought its interdisciplinary seminar series for the 2025-2026 academic year to a close; an initiative intended to enrich intellectual life at the University, foster critical thinking and provide a forum for interdisciplinary reflection on major contemporary challenges.

The series began in October 2025 with the seminar “Can we still engage with culture in the age of AI?”, which featured reflections by Higinio Marín and Gregorio Luri on the role of universities and culture in the face of technological transformation. It then continued in February 2026 with “What does it mean to think?”, a conversation between Raül Garrigasait and Pep Martorell on the philosophical tradition and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. With this third seminar on the limits of thought, the CIP further establishes itself as a permanent space for interdisciplinary reflection that encourages the University community to think with rigour, critical insight and an open mind.